MISHIMA - A LIFE IN FOUR CHAPTERS   1985 Directed by Paul Schrader 121 minutes In Japanese with English subtitles

On November 25th, 1970 one of Japan's most famous writers stormed the headquarters of Japan’s self-defense military base, and along with a small group of dedicated followers attempted to stage an overthrow of the government. But this was not simply a disagreement about politics per se, it was also a fight to keep the traditional ethos of Japanese culture alive, so that it wouldn't be totally destroyed by western modernization.

This is a visually stunning and brilliantly complex biographical film about the life of Yukio Mishima. It’s a story told on three levels. The first works with flashbacks of Mishima's life. The second is based on dramatizations of his written works, and the third level chronicles the events of the final day of his life, which would end up becoming a suicide mission. The structure is a brave interweaving of all these three aspects, so they become inseparable from each other, giving us an entire picture of the writer's life and imagination. Director Paul Schrader was originally a scriptwriter (Taxi Driver) who later became a director in his own right, and his visionary reworking of Mishima's life makes this one of the most successful and experimental biographies ever related on film. It is a treatment that was lovingly rendered, magnificently acted, painstakingly edited, and the cinematography is gorgeous... all in all the entire production is almost on the level of a Japanese flower arrangement in its careful organizing of all aspects of cinema.

Phillip Glass creates a musical score which adds a delirious depth to the film and that far surpasses anything else he has scored for cinema. It also displays an elaborate production design, with expressionistic/surrealistic costumes and set designs by Eiko Ishioka (who went on to do the costumes for Coppola's Dracula). One of the most visually elaborate and stunning films ever made.

This will be a high-definition screening.